Abstract: Provided are a scalable video coding method and apparatus, and a scalable video decoding method and apparatus. The coding method generates a base layer bitstream of video by using one of a plurality of codecs, determines whether the used codec supports enhancement layer coding, decodes the base layer bitstream according to the result of the determination in order to extract coded information used for the generation of the base layer bitstream, and generates an enhancement layer bitstream of the original video based on the extracted information. Accordingly, it is possible to provide high-quality video and increase coding efficiency while using the various existing codecs.

Abstract: A method, medium, and apparatus for encoding and/or decoding video by generating a scalable bitstream formed of a base layer bitstream and an enhancement layer bitstream so as to have forward compatibility, wherein the enhancement layer bitstream comprises a bit-depth field of the enhancement layer, a frame or a picture type field of the enhancement layer in consideration of a frame or a picture type of the base layer, an additional quantization information field for obtaining a quantization parameter of the enhancement layer together with a quantization parameter of the base layer, an intra-macroblock field of the enhancement layer, and an inter-macroblock field of the enhancement layer.

Abstract: There is provided a method and apparatus for encoding and decoding motion vectors. Motion vectors are encoded through the steps of: (a) predicting motion vectors of a type identical to that of a present block and obtaining predictive motion vectors with respect to neighbor blocks having motion vectors of a type different from that of the present block among a plurality of neighbor blocks adjacent to the present block; (b) calculating a representative value of the motion vectors of the type identical to that of the present block from the motion vectors of the neighbor blocks and the predictive motion vectors; (c) calculating a difference value between the calculated representative value and the motion vector of the present block; and (d) encoding the calculated difference value. The motion vectors can be more efficiently encoded even when they refer to different reference pictures.

Abstract: There is provided a method and apparatus for encoding and decoding motion vectors. Motion vectors are encoded through the steps of: (a) predicting motion vectors of a type identical to that of a present block and obtaining predictive motion vectors with respect to neighbor blocks having motion vectors of a type different from that of the present block among a plurality of neighbor blocks adjacent to the present block; (b) calculating a representative value of the motion vectors of the type identical to that of the present block from the motion vectors of the neighbor blocks and the predictive motion vectors; (c) calculating a difference value between the calculated representative value and the motion vector of the present block; and (d) encoding the calculated difference value. The motion vectors can be more efficiently encoded even when they refer to different reference pictures.

Abstract: A method, medium, and apparatus for encoding and/or decoding video by generating a scalable bitstream supporting at least two bit-depths with forward compatibility, wherein the scalable bitstream comprises a base layer bitstream including a base quantization level and a base quantization parameter corresponding to a base bit-depth, and an enhancement layer bitstream including residue between an extended quantization level and a compensated quantization level that is predicted from the base quantization level, and a refined quantization parameter for refining the difference between an extended bit-depth and the base bit-depth.

Abstract: There is provided a method and apparatus for encoding and decoding motion vectors. Motion vectors are encoded through the steps of: (a) predicting motion vectors of a type identical to that of a present block and obtaining predictive motion vectors with respect to neighbor blocks having motion vectors of a type different from that of the present block among a plurality of neighbor blocks adjacent to the present block; (b) calculating a representative value of the motion vectors of the type identical to that of the present block from the motion vectors of the neighbor blocks and the predictive motion vectors; (c) calculating a difference value between the calculated representative value and the motion vector of the present block; and (d) encoding the calculated difference value. The motion vectors can be more efficiently encoded even when they refer to different reference pictures.

Abstract: There is provided a method and apparatus for encoding and decoding motion vectors. Motion vectors are encoded through the steps of: (a) predicting motion vectors of a type identical to that of a present block and obtaining predictive motion vectors with respect to neighbor blocks having motion vectors of a type different from that of the present block among a plurality of neighbor blocks adjacent to the present block; (b) calculating a representative value of the motion vectors of the type identical to that of the present block from the motion vectors of the neighbor blocks and the predictive motion vectors; (c) calculating a difference value between the calculated representative value and the motion vector of the present block; and (d) encoding the calculated difference value. The motion vectors can be more efficiently encoded even when they refer to different reference pictures.

Abstract: A video encoding apparatus and method and a video decoding apparatus and method are provided. The video encoding apparatus includes a base layer encoding unit generating a base layer bitstream including a quantization level of video data and a base quantization parameter corresponding to a base bit-depth, an enhancement layer encoding unit generating an enhancement layer bitstream including a refined quantization parameter for refining the difference between an extended bit-depth and the base bit-depth, and a bitstream combining unit combining the base layer bitstream and the enhancement layer bitstream to generate the scalable bitstream.

Abstract: There is provided a method and apparatus for encoding and decoding motion vectors. Motion vectors are encoded through the steps of: (a) predicting motion vectors of a type identical to that of a present block and obtaining predictive motion vectors with respect to neighbor blocks having motion vectors of a type different from that of the present block among a plurality of neighbor blocks adjacent to the present block; (b) calculating a representative value of the motion vectors of the type identical to that of the present block from the motion vectors of the neighbor blocks and the predictive motion vectors; (c) calculating a difference value between the calculated representative value and the motion vector of the present block; and (d) encoding the calculated difference value. The motion vectors can be more efficiently encoded even when they refer to different reference pictures.

Abstract: There is provided a method and apparatus for encoding and decoding motion vectors. Motion vectors are encoded through the steps of: (a) predicting motion vectors of a type identical to that of a present block and obtaining predictive motion vectors with respect to neighbor blocks having motion vectors of a type different from that of the present block among a plurality of neighbor blocks adjacent to the present block; (b) calculating a representative value of the motion vectors of the type identical to that of the present block from the motion vectors of the neighbor blocks and the predictive motion vectors; (c) calculating a difference value between the calculated representative value and the motion vector of the present block; and (d) encoding the calculated difference value. The motion vectors can be more efficiently encoded even when they refer to different reference pictures.

Abstract: There is provided a method and apparatus for encoding and decoding motion vectors. Motion vectors are encoded through the steps of: (a) predicting motion vectors of a type identical to that of a present block and obtaining predictive motion vectors with respect to neighbor blocks having motion vectors of a type different from that of the present block among a plurality of neighbor blocks adjacent to the present block; (b) calculating a representative value of the motion vectors of the type identical to that of the present block from the motion vectors of the neighbor blocks and the predictive motion vectors; (c) calculating a difference value between the calculated representative value and the motion vector of the present block; and (d) encoding the calculated difference value. The motion vectors can be more efficiently encoded even when they refer to different reference pictures.

Abstract: There is provided a method and apparatus for encoding and decoding motion vectors. Motion vectors are encoded through the steps of: (a) predicting motion vectors of a type identical to that of a present block and obtaining predictive motion vectors with respect to neighbor blocks having motion vectors of a type different from that of the present block among a plurality of neighbor blocks adjacent to the present block; (b) calculating a representative value of the motion vectors of the type identical to that of the present block from the motion vectors of the neighbor blocks and the predictive motion vectors; (c) calculating a difference value between the calculated representative value and the motion vector of the present block; and (d) encoding the calculated difference value. The motion vectors can be more efficiently encoded even when they refer to different reference pictures.

Abstract: A method, medium, and system encoding and/or decoding a moving picture. The moving picture encoding method may include selecting a prediction mode that is optimal for the macro blocks, which correspond to each other, of the color components of a current image based on the characteristics of a predetermined image, generating a predicted image for the current image according to the selected prediction mode, and encoding a moving picture using the predicted image. An optimal prediction mode can be adaptively applied to the macro blocks, which correspond to each other, of the color components, thereby increasing the moving picture's encoding and decoding efficiencies.

Abstract: Methods and apparatuses are provided for adaptive entropy encoding and adaptive entropy decoding using various context models. A scalable entropy encoding method includes determining a context by referring to both syntax elements in the same layer as a block including a syntax element to be encoded and syntax elements in lower layers or only the syntax elements in the lower layers and performing entropy encoding on the syntax element using the determined context.

Abstract: There is provided a method and apparatus for encoding and decoding motion vectors. Motion vectors are encoded through the steps of: (a) predicting motion vectors of a type identical to that of a present block and obtaining predictive motion vectors with respect to neighbor blocks having motion vectors of a type different from that of the present block among a plurality of neighbor blocks adjacent to the present block; (b) calculating a representative value of the motion vectors of the type identical to that of the present block from the motion vectors of the neighbor blocks and the predictive motion vectors; (c) calculating a difference value between the calculated representative value and the motion vector of the present block; and (d) encoding the calculated difference value. The motion vectors can be more efficiently encoded even when they refer to different reference pictures.

Abstract: An image encoding/decoding system, medium, and method. The image encoding system includes a residue production unit arranged to produce first residues corresponding to differences between color components of a current image and color components of a predicted image, a unit arranged to perform spatial transform and quantization with respect to the first residue of a first color component and perform de-quantization and inverse spatial transform with respect to the quantized first residue of the first color component so as to reconstruct the first residue of the first color component, a residue prediction unit arranged to predict second residues with respect to the first residues of the other color components by using the reconstructed first residue of the first color component, and an encoding unit arranged to encode the first residue of the first color component and the second residues of the other color components.

Abstract: Methods and apparatuses are provided for adaptive entropy encoding and adaptive entropy decoding using various context models. A scalable entropy encoding method includes determining a context by referring to both syntax elements in the same layer as a block including a syntax element to be encoded and syntax elements in lower layers or only the syntax elements in the lower layers and performing entropy encoding on the syntax element using the determined context.

Abstract: There is provided a method and apparatus for encoding and decoding motion vectors. Motion vectors are encoded through the steps of: (a) predicting motion vectors of a type identical to that of a present block and obtaining predictive motion vectors with respect to neighbor blocks having motion vectors of a type different from that of the present block among a plurality of neighbor blocks adjacent to the present block; (b) calculating a representative value of the motion vectors of the type identical to that of the present block from the motion vectors of the neighbor blocks and the predictive motion vectors; (c) calculating a difference value between the calculated representative value and the motion vector of the present block; and (d) encoding the calculated difference value. The motion vectors can be more efficiently encoded even when they refer to different reference pictures.